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Tackling fussy eating

Fussy eating and/or food refusal is a completely normal phase that most toddlers go through.

Toddler eating apple

Here are some tips to help you deal with fussy eating:

  • Because children have small tummies, it’s a good idea to offer a small amount of food regularly, rather than overloading them at mealtimes. You might want to try three small meals and between two and three healthy snacks a day
  • As a general rule, a portion of fruit and vegetables is the size of a person’s palm. So think about the size of your child’s hand when you’re serving up a portion onto their plate. See our healthy portion size guide which includes a great animation to showcase this
  • Children are good at regulating how much they need to be eating, and will tell you when they’re hungry and or feeling full. It’s very common for toddlers to eat very little for a few days, and then eat really well a few days later
  • Most toddlers like to be independent, so give them a chance to feed themselves. You can always ask if they need some help putting the food onto the fork or spoon
  • Children copy the behaviours of others. Try to eat and enjoy regular meals with them wherever possible, and be a positive role model for them
  • Avoid giving food as a reward, for comfort or to keep your child busy
  • If you want your child to try new foods, try offering the new food alongside one that you know your child already likes. Remember, you may need to offer a new food ten times or more, before a child will eat it happily

Find out more about how you can create tasty toddler mealtimes that your child will love.

There can be some medical reasons why your toddler might not be eating, the most common ones being constipation and anaemia.

If you have concerns about your child’s eating talk to your health visitor or GP. They’ll be able to check their growth and development and give you further advice.

Useful links

ChatHealth Logo

Devon County Council runs a confidential secure text messaging service for parents of children aged 0-19 years called ChatHealth. The service operates Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, excluding bank holidays. All texts will be responded to by a public health nurse (health visitor/school nurse) within 24 hours. Outside of the service working hours, you’ll receive a message back to inform you that your text will be responded to once the line reopens. You can also call our Public Health Nursing hubs on the numbers listed below.

If you are concerned about the safety of a child in Devon, contact our Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gov.uk with as much information as possible.

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Page last reviewed: 23-03-2023

Next review due: 23-03-2026